A section of the Arsenal fans have consistently called for Arsene Wenger to add a high-quality defensive midfielder to the Gunners squad, with the Emirates Stadium outfit not possessing a world beater in the position since the days of Patrick Vieira.

Francis Coquelin has emerged as an excellent option in the boiler room over the last six months, but should the Frenchman be unavailable or injured, Arsenal would lack physicality in the heart of their team.

Gareth McKnight

I am a freelance football journalist from Northern Ireland, currently living and working from Broome in Western Australia. After a degree in sports journalism from the University of Stirling in Scotland, I started in the online football world and have worked for leading websites and media outlets since. My knowledge and passion is based around the Premier League and European football, but I also have a soft spot for the Australian A-League.